Month: August 2014

How fitting that this 22 day journey started with The Magician, and ended with The Fool? And here, the day after BATS2014, life seems to begin anew. New ideas, new friends, new inspirations and new opportunities. Not to mention new aches and pains and debts to pay off 🙂 So The Fool is entirely fitting for the day after BATS2014.

So often we interpret the Fool as a know-nothing adventurer and free spirit wanderer, but now we can also see the Fool as the spirit of new beginnings; his association with all the Aces of the minor Arcana isn’t accidental: He’s the archetype of inspired explorer, stepping forth with a head of questions and a desire to find answers.

The Devil is in the details, but so are the secrets of the universe. Everything isn’t made of earth, fire, water, and air. It’s made of atoms. Those atoms are made of baryons and other sub-atomic particles. What are they made of? We’re still figuring that out. The Devil is the perpetual chase down the rabbit-hole of understanding. Today, the second day of BATS2014, is a chance to reflect on what has been learned and how our knowledge has grown.

When the Devil comes into play, ask: How far do you wish to go? What are your limits in the pursuit of knowledge, wisdom, experience and sensation?

“‘Excuse me, teacher, may I be excused? My head is full.”

I have no doubt, by 2015, I’ll be ready to dive deeper into the rabbit hole again for next year’s BATS!

How fitting the card of the day is The World; for BATS is a crossroads of continental and international TAROT enthusiasts; all here to share and intermingle and explore out mutual interest in the metaphysical and .

So the lesson of the World is: don’t isolate yourself. Science and genetics tell us that organisms that are isolated will spiral off on their own paths, often becoming too distinct and different to interact again with their hereditary siblings. The World warns us not to become detached from what’s going on in the world (except when necessary) .

The Sun is often described as ‘the source of all life and energy on Earth.’

But the Sun is so bright and so overwhelming, we can’t see the Stars while the Sun is in the sky. Even the Moon is difficult to see clearly when the Sun is shining brightly. We depend on the Sun, deify it and worship it.

So when the Sun comes into play, what all-important source does it represent? More importantly, what is it obscuring you from seeing? What alternatives is the Sun blinding you to? Draw another card, place it face-down and underneath the Sun card; when and if you want to know what you can’t see because of your dependence on The Sun, turn that card over.

The Hanged Man is about patience and perspective. But day lets turn it a bit more around and seek an alternative way to look at the Hanged Man (like I’ve been doing so far on this writing challenge). The Hanged Man is suspended, either by rope or pinned to a cross.

When the Hanged Man comes into play, look what cards are near his head, feet and hands. What significance are these other cards in terms of what’s keeping the Hanged Man where he is, or what may they have to do with the means of his escape?

Stars have always represented mystery and wonder. From the spirits of ancestors, to literal holes in the blanket of night sky, we humans have longed to know more about these lights in the sky that only appear at night. That wonder drove philosophers, naturalists, scientists to keep asking questions and learning more about this universe and the way it works. So here’s today’s alternate way to look at the star: A subtle mystery that begs resolution. The Star inspires speculation and investigation; learning and growth.

Patron saint of Introverts? Since introverts need time for themselves; to recharge, relocate their center, and process all that they have learned and absorbed. The Hermit makes a great role model. The Hermit reminds us to take an hour when we need it. The Hour of the Wolf? The Hour of the Tower? Come to think of it, if we had two more Majors, there would be 24, and thus you could have one per hour in the day!

Most of the time, the Emperor card is associated with authority and command. But today I think about patience. After all, the emperor is a seated figure; from his central location he relies on agents, spies, advisers, couriers and others to both bring him information but also carry out his instructions. He waits for answers, results, information. He broods and ponders and plans while things happen at the speed of horse, or train, or light. He knows the models in his head are incomplete; he can’t know everything but he must make decisions. And the information he needs will come to where he resides: his throne. The Emperor is as much his throne as his authority. In a modern world it’s his cellphone, his computer; his connectivity to the world at large.

So when the Emperor comes into a reading consider: Where is he getting his information? Who is reporting to him and who is acting on his behest? What fact or datum is he waiting for to decide the fate of his empire? How does he see the world with the information he has, versus the information he doesn’t have?

The Chariot is about delegating the work to those best suited to it, wither horses or oxen or lions or sphinxes or human minions, or in Santa’s case, flying reindeer. When the Chariot comes into play in a reading, or as a daily card, consider who’s the driver and who’s doing the work of making the whole thing move? This is either a teamwork arrangement, or a master-slave relationship. Consider drawing two additional cards to see who are the doing the pulling and who is cracking the whip.

If you’re doing a daily affirmation kind of reading, then remember to hitch your chariot to those that can keep the pace and take direction.